What the 2020 Budget means for First Australians

The 2020 Federal Budget was handed down on 6 October, setting out Australia’s economic and fiscal outlook for the coming year.

These measures are designed to support all Australians recover from impacts of COVID-19 and recent natural disasters.

The Budget delivers investments in health, housing, education, employment, while strengthening the capability of Indigenous organisations and communities.

Health

• Continued commitment of $4 billion in Indigenous health funding over the coming four years through the Department of Health, including $975.5 million in 2020-21
• Increased funding to the Indigenous Australians Health Programme (IAHP) to expand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled
• $16.7 million will be provided to states and territories for targeted and specific programs to improve the health of Indigenous Australians.
• $4 million to continue the Remote Point of Care testing program, reducing the risk COVID-19 presents to remote Indigenous communities.

Housing

• $150 million over three years to expand Indigenous Business Australia’s (IBA) Indigenous Home Ownership Program (IHOP), providing 360 new construction home loans and supporting jobs in regional Australia. This helps Indigenous families move into their own home and start to build intergenerational wealth, while addressing overcrowding and stimulating the economies of regional and remote Australia.
• $100 million to finalise the agreement with the Queensland Government to deliver more housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote Queensland.

Business and Employment

• $5.4 million over four years to support the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations to upgrade its systems and implement a Director Identification Number. As part of the Government’s Digital Business Plan, this will provide traceability of a director’s relationships across companies, enable better tracking of failed companies and prevent the use of fictitious identities.
• $3.9 million to extend the Time to Work Employment Services program to 2022, helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people prepare for employment following their release from prison.

Children and Schooling

• $39.8 million over four years for the Clontarf Foundation to support young Indigenous students improve their self-esteem, confidence, leadership skills and engagement, delivering a further 2,000 places on top of the 10,500 already on offer.
• The extension of children and parenting support services by $40.1 million over three years from 2021-22, providing specialised early intervention and prevention support to at-risk children and families with complex needs.

Rangers and Environment

• $3.1 million in administered funding for grants and $1 million in NIAA funding over two years to create four new Indigenous River Ranger groups in the Murray-Darling Basin, improving access to water and ensuring Aboriginal people are part of the delivery of the Basin plan.
• $3.5 million over two years for land management and hazard reduction works and engagement activities at the Rum Jungle mine site near Batchelor, Northern Territory.

Arts and Cultural Heritage

• $10.1 million over four years for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) to continue its highly successful Return of Cultural Heritage initiative, bringing back to Australia objects of great significance to traditional owners.
• $27 million for a regional arts package that will include support for Indigenous Arts Centres that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
• $2.2 million over four years to expedite assessment of applications and improve the administration of new applications under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984
• $2 million as part of the Perth City Deal to progress designs for the Noongar Indigenous Cultural Centre.

The Budget also includes continued commitment to the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, Indigenous Procurement Policy and Closing the Gap.

Indigenous Advancement Strategy

The 2020-21 Budget sees continued commitment to the $5.4 billion Indigenous Advancement Strategy to support programmes which reduce the rates of Indigenous incarceration, youth suicide, family and domestic violence; and improve health, safety, wellbeing, education, employment and economic opportunities.

Indigenous Procurement Policy

The 2020-21 budget continues the Government’s commitment to the Indigenous Procurement Policy which is seeing more Indigenous businesses winning higher value contracts and contributing an ever-increasing amount to government supply chains. In 2020-21, the value target increases to 1.25 per cent, working towards 3 per cent of all Commonwealth contracts being awarded to Indigenous businesses by 2028.

Closing the Gap

• $46.5 million over four years to support the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and build the capacity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisation sector to improve local service delivery. This funding will be complemented by co-contributions from state and territory governments.
• $10.1 million over four years for the Productivity Commission to provide independent oversight and accountability of progress under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. As well as supporting the comprehensive review of progress every three years, this measure includes developing and maintaining an information dashboard and an annual data report that all parties can use in reporting their performance against the Agreement.

Indigenous Australians will also benefit from increases to mainstream services, including

• increased numbers of apprentices and trainees
• additional funding for mental health and suicide prevention initiatives
• expedited handling of family law matters
• more support for victims of domestic and family violence
• package of measures to support regional Australia recover from impacts of COVID-19 and recent natural disasters.

There are also numerous tax relief measures announced and wage subsidies for young workers through the JobMaker Hiring Credit.